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Public trust in organizations that are involved in the management and use of new technologies affects lay judgments about the risks and benefits associated with these technologies. In turn, judgments about risks and benefits influence lay attitudes toward these technologies. The validity of this (indirect) effect of trust on lay attitudes toward new technologies, which is referred to as the causal chain account of trust, has up till now only been examined in correlational research. The two studies reported in this article used an experimental approach to more specifically test the causal chain account of trust in the context of carbon dioxide capture and storage technology (CCS). Complementing existing literature, the current studies explicitly distinguished between two different types of trust in organizations: competence‐based trust (Study 1) and integrity‐based trust (Study 2). In line with predictions, results showed that the organizational position regarding CCS implementation (pro versus con) more strongly affected people's risk and benefit perceptions and their subsequent acceptance of CCS when competence‐based trust was high rather than low. In contrast, the organizational position had a greater impact on people's level of CCS acceptance when integrity‐based trust was low rather than high.

As the Dutch government as well as the European Union have set themselves clear goals for the reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, significant efforts are being made by many to achieve the desired CO2 emissions reduction targets (e.g. 50% reduction in 2050 at the EU level). For the actual implementation of new technologies such as CO2 capture and storage the development of social support can be crucial. One of the goals of the CATO program was to learn more about the factors which affect societal support (or the lack of it) for CO2 capture and storage technologies. This study has investigated the choices the general public would make after having received and evaluated expert information on the consequences pertaining to these choices. The choice to study informed opinions and choices was made for several reasons. Earlier research in the Netherlands (Huijts, Midden & Meijnders, 2007; De Best-Waldhober, Daamen & Faaij, 2006, 2009) as well as outside the Netherlands (Ashworth, Pisarski & Littleboy, 2006; Ashworth et al., 2008; Ha-Duong, Nadaï & Campos, 2008; Itaoka et al., 2008; Reiner et al, 2006; Sharp, Jaccard & Keith, 2006, see Section 1.1) showed that the majority of the general public has no knowledge of CCS. Several studies furthermore show that people are inclined to give their opinion when asked, even if they have no knowledge whatsoever on the topic at hand (Bishop, Oldendick & Tuchfarber, 1986; Schuman & Presser, 1981). These opinions proof to be easily influenced (Strack, Schwarz & Wänke, 1991) and highly unstable (Daamen et al, 2006) and thus very unreliable as predictors for future public opinion. The current study therefore aimed at collecting informed as well as uninformed opinions (Section 1.2).

Despite the increasing use of pesticides in tropical countries, research and legislative efforts have focused on their temperate counterparts. This paper presents a review of the literature on environmental risk assessment of pesticides for tropical terrestrial agroecosystems. It aims at evaluating potential differences in pesticide risk between temperate and tropical regions as well as to highlight research needs in the latter. Peculiarities of pesticide risks in tropical terrestrial agroecosystems are discussed in subsections 1) agricultural practices; 2) research efforts; 3) fate and exposure; 4) toxicity testing methods; and 5) sensitivity. The intensive and often inadequate pesticide application practices in tropical areas are likely to result in a relatively greater pesticide exposure in edge-of-field water bodies. Since pesticide fate may be different under tropical conditions, tropical scenarios for models estimating predicted environmental pesticide concentrations should be developed. Sensitivity comparisons do not indicate a consistent similar, greater or lower relative sensitivity of tropical soil organisms as compared to temperate organisms. However, several methods and procedures for application in the tropics need to be developed, which include: 1) identifying and collecting natural soils to be used as reference test substrates in tests; 2) identifying and discerning the range of sensitivity of native test species to soil contaminants; 3) developing test guidelines applicable to tropical/subtropical conditions; and 4) developing methods and procedures for higher tier testing for full development and implementation of environmental risk assessment schemes.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is highly prevalent in nursing home residents. To diagnose HF properly, echocardiography is recommended by cardiology guidelines. In nursing homes, the nursing home physician (NHP) usually diagnoses HF based on history, clinical examination, electrocardiography (ECG) and levels of B-type natriuretic peptide only, which is in contrast to the cardiologist who probably always will apply for an echocardiogram. Therefore, we aimed (1) to investigate the agreement on the diagnosis of HF made by the NHP without echocardiography and (2) to determine the clinical characteristics that may contribute to the proper diagnosis of HF in nursing home residents. Materials and methods: The study followed a cross-sectional design. Nursing home residents in the southern part of the Netherlands, aged over 65 years and receiving long-term somatic or psychogeriatric care, were included in the study. The NHP decided (stepwise) on the diagnosis of HF; first after anamnesis and physical examination, second after additional information on NTproBNP and ECG, and finally, on all available information, except echocardiography. An expert team consisting of two cardiologists and one hospital geriatrician decided on the final diagnosis, based on all available information. Results and conclusion: There was an overall agreement on both correctly identifying residents with HF and correctly excluding HF of 80.4% (kappa 0.57). Characteristics with a high contribution in predicting HF were a history of HF, a high NT-proBNP level, the presence of rales, arrhythmias and use of cardiac medication. NHPs are fairly capable of diagnosing HF in nursing home residents without echocardiography. (c) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS and European Union Geriatric Medicine Society. All rights reserved.